Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1768: Spring in the North (Third update, please subscribe)

Young people are always impulsive.

Although it was a sudden idea, Edward and his classmates immediately went to a travel agency in Hong Kong Island to inquire about the possibility of applying for a tour to the mainland.

"Finally I can go to the mainland..."

Edward has loved reading travel literature since he was a child, and he also loves traveling by mountains and rivers. Naturally, he hopes to see the West Lake and Huangshan Mountain that he has longed for, and observe the real life on the mainland in person?

On that day, their group of nine people filled out a simple application form and completed the formalities at the travel agency.

Two days later, the group boarded a train to Luohu.

Bao'an is just across the bridge.

The backpacker's luggage was light and simple, so the customs inspector only gave it a cursory look.

"Edward Albert?"

When checking Edward's passport, they were a little curious about the fact that these young people were from SEA. Edward had a neither Chinese nor Western appearance, while the others were both European and Asian.

"From SEA?"

The customs officer looked at Edward and asked:

"Are they all the same there?"

"what?"

Edward looked at the other party with some confusion, but the customs officer did not say anything special and just stamped it.

When Edward set foot on this land, he was full of curiosity like everyone else. On one side were beautiful mountains and rivers, and on the other side was a place that he had never been to for twenty years. In his mind, he was filled with yearning for the beautiful mountains and rivers, as well as the terrifying propaganda in the newspapers.
This made him nervous and even a little excited.

“This place is really different from where we are!”

Hank looked around curiously. There were many soldiers in Baoan. Although those young soldiers carried guns, they were playing with children on the roadside, and some were painting murals.

"Watching them paint and listening to them sing. It's really magical!"

Sun Chendong's voice sounded a little strange.

“Although they are strangers, they seem like my own brothers and sisters.”

His words immediately aroused the agreement of others.

They boarded the train to Guangzhou from Bao'an, and their emotions were in turmoil all the way. They didn't know what Guangzhou was like, and how the people there would treat them, the "neither Chinese nor Western" SEA people.

They arrived in Suicheng that afternoon and were taken to the hotel by the travel agency's reception staff.

On the way to the hotel, the travel agency receptionist introduced them:

"…The hotel is eight stories high in the middle and six stories high in each wing. It faces Haizhu Square and has more than 280 rooms, which can accommodate 700 guests. It is the largest and best hotel in the whole city of Sui. For more than a decade, it has been the first stop for returned overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao. Next to it is the Pearl River, where you can enjoy the night view at night. The Cantonese cuisine in the hotel is delicate and exquisite, with good color, fragrance and taste, and is unparalleled. When the time comes, you can enjoy the night view while dining…"

After hearing the receptionist's introduction, Edward and his party could not help but look forward to tasting the food there. Sun Chendong asked with some concern:

"So what are the prices at the hotel?"

"This is a bit expensive. After all, it's a high-end hotel."

The receptionist's answer made everyone's heart tighten.

A bit expensive, how expensive is that?

Soon they arrived at the hotel. There were many citizens on the green Haizhu Square. Ding Peiyun, the only girl in the group, said with some doubt:
“It seems like the women here don’t wear skirts!”

"It seems so. And the color of the clothes is the same, either white or yellow..."

"The pants are also blue or black."

Outside the hotel, some workers were tearing down posters. Although he had never been here, Edward was familiar with those posters. They could also be seen in some places on Hong Kong Island.

However, what he didn't know was that in order to welcome the arrival of these foreign tourists, the top leaders had issued special instructions to clean up the promotional posters in foreign-related hotels.

In this way, they were curious about almost every step, curious about everything around them, and even curious about their way of conversation, what the receptionist said when talking to the hotel front desk clerk, and then introduced:

“They are foreign guests from SEA.”

Then we helped them to check in and exchange currency. They all brought Nanyang dollars, and the two currencies were basically the same value.

After exchanging currency, they started to go through the check-in procedures. Everyone was stunned when they learned that a room only cost 5 yuan and it was a standard room that could accommodate two people.

what?
5 bucks...so cheap!

Edward, Hank and others were stunned by the cheap price, so much so that they were still discussing the price of the house after entering the elevator.

"Hey, isn't it a bit expensive?"

"Yeah, I thought it would cost dozens of dollars!"

The accompanying waiter looked at these people and said, "A few dozen yuan? My monthly salary is only a few dozen yuan."

what?
One month???

Before entering the room, Edward stood at the door and looked around. The room had two beds, toilet and bathroom facilities, as well as a telephone and fan. Although there was no air conditioning and it was not luxurious, it was very practical and comfortable.

When he tried to tip the waiter, he was rejected righteously.

"Sir, this is not a capitalist country, we don't accept tips!"

Everything is so magical.

That night, there was an even bigger surprise waiting for them - for dinner, they ordered a table of dishes that cost less than 30 yuan.

It was definitely beyond their expectations to enjoy such sumptuous food at such a low price.

After arriving in Guangzhou, the receptionist of the travel agency solved all their problems. While they were enjoying dinner and admiring the night view, he had already helped them buy soft-seat sleeper tickets for the train to Hangzhou the day after tomorrow.

The next morning, after breakfast, they waited for a motorized tricycle on the street and began their journey to Suicheng. The motorized tricycle was very fast, but the motor was too loud, making it inconvenient to talk. Edward tried his best to chat with the driver. Although the driver did not speak Mandarin fluently, he found him very friendly and kind.

They played until noon, then took a two-stop bus to the Huanghuagang 72 Martyrs' Tomb. At this moment, Edward suddenly remembered the letter from martyr Lin Juemin to his wife.

That was the text in their high school textbook.

At this time, standing in front of the martyrs' tomb, Edward and others had complicated expressions, and their expressions were solemn and dignified.

In the past, they had only read "Letter to My Wife" in textbooks, but now, standing in front of the martyrs' tomb, the special emotion they felt was completely different from the feeling in the book.

"Do you know why this place is called Huanghuagang?"

"It is said that Huanghuagang is covered with yellow flowers in autumn, so it is called Huanghuagang."

Looking up at the sky, it was all green. They wanted to give flowers, but couldn't find a flower shop, which made them a little disappointed.

In the end, I had to give up the idea of ​​presenting flowers.

The group then went to wait for the bus, but found that the bus was too crowded and often missed the stop. Gradually, more and more people waited for the bus, and people naturally started chatting.

Although the residents here still use dialects when talking to each other, they can speak Mandarin which is understandable. The young people speak fluent and standard Mandarin.

“Are you all from the same country?”

Several girls who looked like students looked at them and asked curiously,
“Yes, we are from SEA.”

"SEA?"

Before one girl could react, the other girl said:

"Ah, I know, you are America's lackeys!"

For a moment, Edward and the others were all embarrassed. They didn't even have an explanation. However, although they knew that they were "lackeys", they did not show any hostility. Instead, they were somewhat curious about SEA.

I was curious about their appearance, why there were so many foreigners there, and why they spoke the common language so well.

Obviously, most of them know nothing about SEA.

The bus came and everyone helped them squeeze onto it. When the passengers in the car saw them, they all looked at them curiously, because from their clothes and looks, they could tell at a glance that they were foreigners.

A girl pointed out where Edward should get off the bus, and he got off the bus himself and walked with them for a while. The young people talked and laughed together along the way, and did not leave until they reached the hotel. After taking a bath in the hotel, they went for a rich lunch, and then everyone took a long nap.

It was not until after four in the afternoon that they got up and prepared to take the children to the Cultural Park for some fun.

A few young people, holding a map in hand, walked along the Pearl River. Along the river bank, there were groups of people enjoying the cool air. Although no men and women walking arm in arm, one could still vaguely make out couples, spouses, friends or family members.

Those who come to enjoy the cool air all hold a fan in their hands, feeling relaxed and happy.

From their leisurely look, you can tell they are enjoying themselves very much.

Seeing this scene, Edward couldn't help but feel a little surprised, and wondered in his heart: Why didn't these people go to the meeting or do other things?
In his imagination, people here have to work endlessly every day, and when they are not working, they have to receive ideological education.

It is indeed surprising to see them so leisurely and happy now. If it were not for the posters on the wall and the passionate music on the radio, it would even give people some illusion.

You can see places selling popsicles everywhere along the way, but they don't sell them in refrigerators, but in wooden boxes. Although those selling popsicles are small vendors, their stalls are not ordinary stalls, but state-owned sales outlets. The vendors are unemployed people in nearby streets, mainly illiterate and unemployed middle-aged and elderly women.

On the way, they kept enjoying popsicles - although they were just frozen ice cubes with a strong flavor of essence, Edward, Sun Chendong and others were still very happy eating these exotic popsicles. They were so happy that they even sang along with the radio.

Edward walked slowly, exchanging glances with passers-by. People stared at them and their strange clothes, but their eyes were friendly and curious. Edward also observed them carefully, and finally he came to the conclusion that these people were happier and healthier than him.

The next morning, they were sent on the train by the staff of Overseas Chinese Travel Service. Unlike ordinary people, they took the high-ranking officials' passage. It was still the young man in cloth clothes and cloth shoes who sent them on the train carriage, arranged their luggage, and chatted with them for a few words before saying goodbye and leaving.

Edward would like this man's simplicity, earnestness and sincerity. Before leaving, he promised Edward and his friends that he would still come to receive them when they passed through Guangzhou and returned to Hong Kong Island next time, and hoped that they could have a good time in the mainland.

In this way, the train headed north, and Edward and his companions finally began their journey on the mainland in a real sense.

Of course, Edward had no idea what kind of disturbances his trip to the continent would bring to other places...

(End of this chapter)